Clark County Wetlands Park
Encyclopedia
The Clark County Wetlands Park is the largest park in the Clark County
, Nevada
park system. The park is located on the east side of the Las Vegas
valley and runs from the various water treatment
plants near the natural beginning of the Las Vegas Wash
to where the wash
flows under Lake Las Vegas
and later into Lake Mead
.
One purpose of the park is to reduce the environmental impact
of the waste water and stormwater runoff leaving the drainage basin
area, by building a constructed wetland
. This is being accomplished by installing a series of water flow control structure
s such as dam
s and weir
s and by creating pond
s that together slow down the flow of the water, catching silt
, and reducing the undercutting of the dirt walls that form the wash. As of June, 2005 nine of these structures were operational.
The sides of the wash are being stabilized by installing native plants and large pieces of demolished construction debris. Some of the native plants, especially those in the areas of standing water, also help to purify the water by removing various pollutant
s as the slow moving water provides these plants with nourishment. This method of purification is also called natural water polishing.
The second purpose of the park is education
. The displays within the park attempt to show visitors how the wash looked before major settlement occurred in the valley and how much impact people have had on the environment.
The park has a visitors center and miles of walking paths.
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
park system. The park is located on the east side of the Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
valley and runs from the various water treatment
Water treatment
Water treatment describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the...
plants near the natural beginning of the Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash
Las Vegas Wash is a 12 mile-long channel which feeds most of Las Vegas Valley's excess water into Lake Mead. The wash is sometimes called an urban river, and it exists in its present capacity because of an urban population. The wash also works in a systemic conjunction with the pre-existing...
to where the wash
Wash
Wash may refer to:* Arroyo , also called a wash, a dry creek bed or gulch that temporarily fills with water after a heavy rain* WASH, a water, sanitation and hygiene advocacy campaign initiated by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council...
flows under Lake Las Vegas
Lake Las Vegas
Lake Las Vegas is located in Henderson, Nevada. Lake Las Vegas refers to both a man made lake and to the area built around the lake. The area is sometimes referred to as the Lake Las Vegas Resort...
and later into Lake Mead
Lake Mead
Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by water impounded by the Hoover Dam, it extends behind the dam, holding approximately of water.-History:The lake was...
.
One purpose of the park is to reduce the environmental impact
Environmental degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife...
of the waste water and stormwater runoff leaving the drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area, by building a constructed wetland
Constructed wetland
A constructed wetland or wetpark is an artificial wetland, marsh or swamp created as a new or restored habitat for native and migratory wildlife, for anthropogenic discharge such as wastewater, stormwater runoff, or sewage treatment, for land reclamation after mining, refineries, or other...
. This is being accomplished by installing a series of water flow control structure
Flow control structure
A flow control structure is a device that alters the flow of water in a stream, drainage channel or pipe. As a group these are passive structures since they operate without intervention under different amounts of water flow and their impact changes based on the quantity of water available...
s such as dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s and weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s and by creating pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s that together slow down the flow of the water, catching silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
, and reducing the undercutting of the dirt walls that form the wash. As of June, 2005 nine of these structures were operational.
The sides of the wash are being stabilized by installing native plants and large pieces of demolished construction debris. Some of the native plants, especially those in the areas of standing water, also help to purify the water by removing various pollutant
Pollutant
A pollutant is a waste material that pollutes air, water or soil, and is the cause of pollution.Three factors determine the severity of a pollutant: its chemical nature, its concentration and its persistence. Some pollutants are biodegradable and therefore will not persist in the environment in the...
s as the slow moving water provides these plants with nourishment. This method of purification is also called natural water polishing.
The second purpose of the park is education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. The displays within the park attempt to show visitors how the wash looked before major settlement occurred in the valley and how much impact people have had on the environment.
The park has a visitors center and miles of walking paths.